Category: Sketches

The Bay Bridge, San Francisco. Pen and ink in a Moleskine journal. (40 minutes)

The America’s Cup is going on all summer in San Francisco and this was sketched in a newly opened park along the Embarcadero right next to the base of the Italian camp (hence the Italian flag and Luna Rossa tents).

I love sketching on location in Europe. Little details abound everywhere you turn. This year has been a whirlwind of inspiration and impressions. Although I haven’t had much time to paint since I’ve been on the road continuously (for just about a year now), I’ve been sketching and doing lots of creative writing along the way. Best of all, I was recently granted another opportunity to travel back to Europe (3rd time in one year)! Here’s a sketch from Vienna, Austria.

I’ve been wanting to visit Helsinki for a while, and took the long route through Scandinavia to arrive here (traveling all throughout Norway, then into Sweden, before boarding a boat from Stockholm to Tallinn, Estonia, and finally taking a ferry over to Helsinki, where I got an apartment and stayed for a bit. I love the vibe of Helsinki—it’s very artistic and designy, and completely inspirational.

Happy December!! I’ve finally had a minute on this wild tour of Europe to scan in a couple pages from my sketchbook! I was very inspired by the elaborate puppets at the Estonian Museum of Puppet Arts, which had not just puppets, but a puppet making workshop, artisan studios, and a puppet theater with really cool live performances.

I had heard great things about Lucca, a Tuscan fortress city surrounded by medieval walls near Pisa, Italy. The city was as charming as I was expecting to be, and had a great small town flavor.

One small detail I noticed right away were the windows. In Florence they are all rectangular for the most part. But here in Lucca, they were all rounded at the tops. I love Italian windows, almost always comprised of green shutters on yellow unwashed walls. (This one was no exception.)

I’m currently working on an illustration for Whole Life Times Magazine illustrating an article about healing sessions taking place around Los Angeles that begin with cocktails! It’s been such a fun assignment, getting to draw sophisticated socialites that can float cocktails in the air, have third eyes, and will have glowing auras once I add color! —G

Fashion and space, two of my very favorite things! I drew this while I was in a sci-fi frenzy, reading Orson Scott Card novels and having just watched Caprica. Anyway, I love creating space worlds and creatures because there are absolutely no restrictions! I haven’t decided yet if I’ll color this with watercolors or digitally….hum…
(graphite on watercolor paper)

About This Blog

Hello! I am a professional artist with a love of abstract painting. This blog was inspired by a lifelong goal of mine: to produce 100 paintings in one year. I hit #100 ten months later, and am still painting up a storm! If you are interested in purchasing artwork, please send me an email. Thanks for visiting!